Social 121: Eat Drink Love

There is a new restaurant and a new Executive Chef in Plano that is worth checking out. Social 121 has opened up shop in Plano, TX and the culinary marvel behind the fun new menu is Chef Jason Skinner, formerly of Loft 610 and the Milestone Culinary Arts Center.

You're the new Executive Chef at one of Plano's newest restaurants Social 121. What was the most interesting experience for you in opening the restaurant?

Building my culinary team. I have been fortunate enough to work with some great teams in my past, but never had the opportunity to build my own. It took a while to get everyone in place, but I truly believe that I now have an extremely talented, passionate, and outstanding staff.

Between the Food Network, Travel Channel and Cooking Channel there are so many different styles of cooking - who do you see as a culinary role model?

Anthony Bourdain...he tells it like it is. He believes in simplicity and allows the food to speak for itself. Not to mention, he has the best job in the world!

What is your favorite ingredient to be cooking with right now?

It's nothing fancy, but, bacon. It's so versatile and adds tons of flavor. From the Jumbo Lump Crab Dumplings to the Hazelnut-Bacon Brittle, bacon is definitely a huge player in our dishes.

When you get home after a long day at the restaurant, what do you like to eat?

Hot dogs. Depending on what's in my fridge at the time, it can be anything from a Chicago dog to a chili cheese dog, but my favorite is what I like to call the "Skinner Dog". It has everything but the kitchen sink...and loads of Sriracha. My next adventure may very well be a gourmet hot dog joint. Trust me, I've thought about it 37 times.

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Nancy Maslonka was born with a whisk in her hand! She's shared culinary goodness at Williams-Sonoma, Viking and now with you! She'll break down all things "foodie" and loves to hear from you! nancymaslonka@yahoo.com